Scarlet took a long breath while glaring at her new friend as she continued pretending to ignore her. Rachel’s been getting a little saucy lately, and she never lets me win! Wait … Lunar Pride? She can’t give me the win, ever!

She folded her arms under her chest, tapping one of her left ribs as they waited for the girl to return with higher management, and she could do nothing about the whispers coming from the people in line behind them that made her ears red.

“Yo, man, she’s cute, right, and a weeb? Score!”

“Dude, she’s a Demi, though…”

“I know, hot, right?”

“Tch, I mean, yeah, but you think you got a chance with her? I guess you might, but she’s not a Beastkin-type.”

“For real, man, Beastkin? Knew you were into that furry shit; hey, she’s got that bunny-girlfriend, eh? What do you think, double-date?”

“Wha … na, bro … although, I mean, she’s got legs for days, and that tail…”

“What’d I tell ya, furry as shit, bro; don’t try to act like ya ain’t.”

“Dude … what if they can hear us?”

“Hmm … yeah,” he sucked in through his teeth. “I don’t know … it doesn’t seem like they can? What do you think?”

C’mon, Rachel! You’ve got to be hearing this, and you’re just leaning against the counter, wearing that smile that I know is a mask. How do you do it?

She glanced back at the two boys, trying to be discrete, but she knew her poker face was crap. They were likely no older than seventeen.

The one that liked Rachel had freckles and a few zit marks. He had straight teeth, hazel eyes, and brown blonde-highlighted hair that was swept forward to hide much of his forehead. Given the kind of guys Rachel was into, the Anthony-type, this boy had a better chance of getting sucked into an Isekai and building a harem.

The boy that liked her seemed to have ancestors from India, but he didn’t have an accent. He seemed to be trying to grow a mustache, but it was mostly peach fuzz, had thick black caterpillar eyebrows, well-maintained gelled hair, and brown eyes. He was also on the smaller side for a man, maybe only three inches taller than her.

She let her gaze slide over them like she was searching for something, but she was having a hard time controlling her blush. It’s crazy how many things you learn when you have better hearing … Rachel must learn so many things, and the amount of gossip people talk. Boys check girls out a lot more than I thought … I mean, I knew they did, but about me?

“Hmm?” Scarlet’s hazel eyes snapped back to Rachel as she supported her head with her hand, elbow leaning against the tall register counter.

A lump of blood dropped down Scarlet’s throat. “What?”

“Something’s got you flustered,” she stated with an amused grin. Her smile turned charming as her glowing red irises lifted to stare directly at the two boys.

Scarlet turned, watching both boys blush and quickly avert eye-contact, which to her frustration, made her cheeks redden. Damn you, body! I control my blood … just breathe, and … why is it so hard! Rachel, damn you! Her jaw locked with irritation as she shot a venomous glare at the bemused Lunar Hare. How can you make just looking embarrassing? We’re supposed to be here to beat-down gangsters!

“Hmm,” Rachel bit her lower lip for a moment before her four-leaf clover-like eyes shifted to her, lips barely held at a smirk. “I don’t know, Scarlet. Kyle or him?”

Scarlet’s arms tightened under her chest. “I don’t even dignify that with a response.” She whispered before huffing with indignation.

Rachel winced. “Oof, ouch! Pretty harsh there on the judgment, girl. I know he’s no Jonas Brother, but...”

Scarlet’s composure fractured within seconds. “Wha … no! I didn’t mean it like that,” she groaned, left-hand lifting to comb back her thick black hair as she glanced at the boy again.

“Oh?” Rachel’s perfectly shaped white eyebrows lifted. “Didn’t expect that; 더 많이 볼수록 더 매력적입니다, I suppose. So, he’s even cuter than Kyle, huh? Better run over and sink your teeth in then.”

[The more you see, the more attractive it is. i.e. it’s a popular Korean dating saying]

“You’re impossible, and don’t be like Maria,” Scarlet growled, refusing to make eye contact.

“I’m just prepping you,” Rachel chuckled, managing her long white hair.

“For, and what did you say in Korean?”

Rachel laughed silently for a moment, turning to lean her back against the counter while facing her. “It’s a popular saying in Korea. In pure translation it means, the more you look, the more attractive. Basically, it just means the boy has hidden charms; they might not be the most handsome guy, but once you get to know them, they’re more attractive and charming.

“Who am I prepping you for, Maëlle, who else?” Rachel said with a meaningful look. “That temptress will be on you like bees to flowers; for real, you’re a walking buffet.”

“Well, thanks for the encouragement coach,” Scarlet mumbled, rubbing her left arm.

Rachel replied with a low tone. “I’m just saying, she’s going to try and play you like before, and she’s a lot more ruthless than me. I bet she’ll attempt to get you into a compromising situation that will put your embarrassment meters on overdrive.”

Scarlet’s hands shifted to grip her arms, and she rubbed them nervously. “Heh, but I can just avoid her.”

“Like you are with me?” Rachel asked wryly.

“Well, no … I need to be with you, and … okay, I get it,” she groaned, “it’s not a practical solution. What should I do then? Maëlle’s … difficult to handle; I mean, even you were having trouble with her.”

“Mmh,” Rachel pursed her lips, folding her arms while leaning back to stare at the employee door. “She feeds off sexual tension; the stronger the pressure, the more she’ll stick to you, and you so happen to be a pretty stressed girl as it is.

“By the way, she’s coming back. We’ll be taken to a room to meet Deodato Vomele, the tracking scout.”

“Got it, and it’s not like I can control it,” Scarlet mumbled. “I’m just not good around boys, okay.”

Rachel took a deep breath before letting it out with a sad smile. “Tonight might be rough for you because, from pieces of things I’ve heard around the area, Maëlle and Kyle are still in that FBI building, and they’ve been permitted to go out every once in a while; they can’t legally keep them for an extended period of time, basically.”

Scarlet felt a wave of nausea wash over her. This is stupid; my body sucks … do I even have a stomach? Why … why do we need to deal with Maëlle again? Kyle, I mean, yeah, it’s awesome I get to see him again … maybe if I hide in the shadows, I can catch a picture of him. If he’s … no, no, get your mind out of the gutter! Maëlle’s so provocative; just how far will she push it?

“Umm,” she licked her black lips before giving Rachel a forced smile, “how much freedom? I mean, eh … we don’t have Maria with us.”

Rachel’s eyes narrowed slightly while turning to greet the employee as she exited the back room with a bright smile, but it faltered slightly as she caught sight of the line that had built up in her absence. “Shoot, umm … good news! My boss is back there; he says he’d be happy to speak with you personally about it. You can go right through those doors,” she pointed while looking past them at the next customer. “Eh, have you decided on an order?”

Scarlet followed Rachel through the doors, glancing back at the two teens as they muttered to one another again.

“Crap, they’re going into the back,” the freckled boy groaned.

“That sucks, dude,” the other shrugged weakly. “Maybe next time.”

“What if we wait for them to come back out? You cool with it, man?”

“Aww, I don’t know … it’s pretty late, and we need to get back before your dad gets off his shift.”

“Yeah, but, man … she was so cute with those pointed ears and a weeb … it’s hard finding weeb-girls … maybe she even cosplayed.”

Nope, not a cosplayer. Although … Alexa had some pretty cute pictures with some of her stuff, and … does she wear them when Nam and her…

A large glob of blood dropped down Scarlet’s throat as she licked her lips, trying to avoid eye contact with Rachel as the steamy thought flashed through her mind. Even Rachel would probably blush at that … no, stop thinking about it, you perverted Vampire! There’s something wrong with me...

She caught Rachel’s ears twitch as she glanced back with a frown while opening the door. “Something up?”

Scarlet stared down at the wooden floor to hide her face, shaking her head. “Nope,” she cleared her throat, “nothing at all.”

“Okay … umm, you sure you’re cool with this?”

The girl at the register glanced back at them, still standing in the doorway. “Is, umm, she okay?”

Scarlet quickly walked through the open door. “Yup, totally fine! Umm, is your brother into cosplay, too? I mean, I know Alexa is, but … no, nevermind. It’s stupid…”

“My … brother … Alexa and cosplay?” Rachel mumbled, clearly perplexed as she followed her through the door. “Why’d you bring him up?” She asked; it was the first time Scarlet had heard Rachel sound so lost in a conversation.

Scarlet took a long breath, trying to calm her panicking brain and rosy cheeks. “It’s, umm—it’s not important.”

“Uh-huh…”

The door led to a long hallway that had a door to the left, a bathroom to the right, and the end seemed to lead to their storage, and the rest of the gangster hideout was below; Rachel moved slowly to the left door. Scarlet let her walk ahead, but Rachel paused halfway down the hall, turning to face her.

“Are you getting into cosplay, or … do you like my brother … Alexa, and my brother?”

Scarlet sucked in her lips, closing her eyes while trying to calm her pounding heart. “No, no, no … I’m not thinking about having a … no, yeah, I’m interested in cosplay. You actually think...”

Rachel’s assumption sent flashes of perverted thoughts through Scarlet’s mind. That’s where her mind went? Stop it! She scratched her neck, trying not to puncture her lower lip with her fangs while shifting uncomfortably. “Umm—so, yeah…”

“I see,” Rachel mumbled, eyebrows lifting with what seemed a mixture between concern and amusement. “You know, I can usually tell when people are lying, but your body’s way different from how the human body normally responds, so … maybe we’ll have to pick this conversation up again with Maria around.”

Scarlet briskly walked past her, moving toward the left door. Nope, no, we will not! If I say anything, then she’ll assume I do want to … this is so stupid! “Ehm—yeah, we can talk about that later.” Not! “Let’s go see this Deodato Vomele guy.”

“Mm-kay,” Rachel hummed, clearly still concerned, but quickly followed after her.

Scarlet smiled at the man when she entered the cafe breakroom, hoping her red cheeks didn’t make her look bad. The room had the essentials for a coffee store, fridge, cupboards, sink, and tables.

Deodato Vomele, like his name suggested, was obviously Cuban by his accent. “Hello, girls, umm … you look a little flushed. Are you sick with that new virus going around?”

Scarlet shook her head with a light chuckle. “Nope, my friend just can’t stop teasing me.” She growled, shooting a half-playful grin at Rachel.

Rachel was back in perfect character, shrugging with a light chuckle. “I can’t help it; it’s as easy as getting a boy to pay for your meal.”

“Oh?” Deodato laughed, gesturing for them to take a seat. “I bet it is with how beautiful you both are. So, Willow told me that you both are looking for a maid job. Is that correct?”

Scarlet sat down, nodding absently while letting Rachel take the lead; her mind was still trying to work through the dumpster-fire of a conversation she’d just gone through. Okay, Rachel is too freaking observant, but to think I’d want to join Alexa and Nam? No! I may have thought about … other things, but that’s far away from anything like that. I just wanted to know if Nam liked Alexa’s cosplay.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Gah … okay, yeah, I can see why that might throw up some red flags; it is kind of a weird question, but for that conversation to follow. C’mon … I don’t want to steal her brother from Alexa. Ugh … how can I fix this? Rachel already thinks I’m pretty perverted, and it’s not like I try to be. I slip with my eyes every once in a while … sometimes it’s not a slip, but it’s not like any other girl wouldn’t abuse x-ray vision if they could!

I can’t be the only one! There’s got to be another girl out there with the same temptations, yet I’m the one everyone makes fun of. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to see a few abs, right? Men go without their shirts all the time, and they’re the ones always making use of x-ray vision in fiction. Girls can have their interests, too … and I’m justifying it.

She refrained groaning while trying to catch back up with the conversation.

“... when I was talking with one of my friends from class. I’m a foreign exchange student from South Korea,” Rachel said with a bright tone. “The family I’m staying with is really stingy with their cash, and I want to buy so many things.”

“A foreign exchange student?” Deodato repeated with an unconvinced hum. “You speak English pretty well for just an exchange student, and I don’t hear a Korean accent.”

Nearly everything about Rachel’s voice changed as she swapped to Korean. “내가 한국어를 말할 수 있다고 생각합니까?”

[Do you think I can speak Korean?]

“Oh, pretty impressive,” Deodato chuckled while nodding. “That does sound pretty Asian. Honestly, I couldn’t tell Japanese from Korean.”

Rachel sucked in her lips, giving him a slight frown. “Not going to lie, that’s pretty insulting. Really, Japanese and Korean sound the same to you?”

Deodato shrugged. “Well, to be fair, could you distinguish between Italian and Spanish?”

“Mmh, I don’t think that’s a great comparison, but I get your point.” Rachel crossed her arms while leaning back a bit. “So, can I work for you as an exchange student? I don’t really know all the laws about that.”

The man scrutinized them for a moment, focusing on Scarlet. “Your friend doesn’t seem very happy to be here.”

Scarlet tried to smile, not opening her mouth to hide her fangs.

Rachel gave her a smirk. “We heard about the maid job through a friend that she doesn’t really like; they had some … issues.”

“Hey,” Scarlet huffed, and she didn’t need to fake the look she gave the Lunar Hare. “We don’t need to get into that garbage.”

“Mmmh,” Deodato nodded. “Boy issues, girl issues?” He asked with a lifted eyebrow.

“Boy, definitely boy,” she stated, still eyeing Rachel.

“Okay,” he muttered. “So, what’s your story? Family not giving you an allowance?”

Scarlet’s gut tightened, blue eyes falling to the table as a lump dropped down her throat, remembering the monthly cash her parents would give her. They seemed totally normal … how could I not see it?

“They did, but it’s just not enough,” Scarlet replied after a moment, giving him a strained smile. “I have a bit more … expensive taste.”

“Understandable for a girl with needs,” he agreed. “They know you want a job? If you’re underage, then I’ll need to have them sign some papers,” he pushed, glancing between them.

“Nope, nineteen, and she’s eighteen.” Rachel winked, holding her finger to her lips. “We’re kind of being rebels; her parents aren’t really for her getting a job … I know, they’re weird, and so we didn’t tell anyone about where we were going. Our friend that told us about it doesn’t even know; we’re kind of hoping you’ll hire us, and we can shove it in their faces! So, can we?”

Deodato’s smile widened. “Well, quite the game you’re both playing; high stakes, for sure! Alright,” he chuckled. “Yeah, yeah, we can work it out. So, how do you plan to get home, then? I hope you both don’t plan to walk with all the things happening outside.”

Rachel quickly shook her head, white hair shifting around her shoulder. “Nope, it’s the first time we’ve used the public bus system. It took forever!” She groaned. “I think they’re closing soon, though, right? Oh, we should hurry up then, or else, we’ll have to call her parents to come get us.” She winced. “I’d rather not.”

“Great, well, then consider yourselves hired! We just need to make it official; come with me to the back, we’ll need to get the paperwork. I keep it all in the basement.”

“Oh,” Rachel shot a grin at Scarlet, “sounds spooky! A basement in downtown? How old is this place?”

Deodato got up with a low laugh. “This building has gone through a lot of renovations over the years, but it’s a pretty modern place. The basement is nice and bright, not spooky at all.”

“Boo.” Rachel got up, nudging her head toward the door for Scarlet to join her. “That’s no fun, but let’s get this done so we can head back. It shouldn’t take that long, right?”

“No, not all,” he promised, guiding them into the hallway. “I usually get my shipments in the night; I have some of my grave shift working in the back, so don’t be shocked.”

“Yeah, it seems like a really nice place. I was shocked I hadn’t heard about it yet,” Rachel mumbled, absently glancing around at the walls while keeping pace with him.

“We’re new, just opened up recently, but we do alright.”

“I liked the band,” Scarlet commented, finally starting to feel calm. “Jazz is so soothing for a tea place, and the design is fantastic.”

“Thanks, that means a lot coming from teens like you; it’s who we’re trying to market to, and the free WiFi helps, of course,” he laughed.

“Snap, really?” Rachel asked, pulling out her phone. “Oh, let’s see…”

Deodato opened the door at the end of the hall, gesturing for them to enter. They both walked through, and Rachel lowered her phone, ears twitching while she glanced around.

Scarlet spotted five men sitting in comfortable chairs around a table of cards, and Rachel’s smile widened; there was a man with the lower half of a scorpion. Scarlet’s stomach tightened. Wait a minute, Rachel never mentioned a Scorpion-man Demi! She grimaced as her eyes turned vampiric. Eww … that just looks nasty.

“So, this is where you drug up your victims?” Rachel asked, turning an innocent smile to Deodato.

The men’s brows furrowed as they turned to look at them, and Deodato returned her smile with a deep frown. “That’s not an accusation I like to hear.”

Rachel walked toward the men as they shifted in their seats to focus on her. “Nine drugged Demi girls and three human girls in the basement would verify my claim, but I wasn’t entirely sure how you were drugging them. It all makes sense now.”

Deodato’s demeanor fell as he grunted, “Boys, it seems we’ve got a spy among us. Who are you with? TNS, Zoe Pound? I paid back whatever was owed, and they let me off by taking my car.”

“Oh, no,” Rachel giggled as the men stood up, pulling out their weapons as Rachel turned to face Deodato again, licking her lips as Scarlet pushed her cheeks to the side, blood seeping out of her skin to surround her. “I’m not with any gang, but I was one of the Demi that dismantled Terrell’s.”

“You what…” He backed up as he caught sight of her blood, bumping into a shelf as his eyes widened. “What are you? What do you want?”

Scarlet’s red halo-like irises moved to stare at him, and she smiled, showing her fangs. “Hello, I’m a Vampire, and what I want is some food.” She vanished in shadows, appearing in front of Deodato; her blood quickly followed, wrapping them both in a cocoon as his men shouted curses before unloading rounds into her shell.

She was sure Rachel would handle it, and the bullets simply struck her protective cocoon before harmlessly falling to the ground. Deodato barely got a gasp out before she grabbed his hair, jerked his head to the side, and bit into his neck.

He tried lifting his hands to push her off, but he was far too weak. Within moments of penetrating his skin, she’d begun sucking out his blood, and after a short while, his limbs lost strength. A few more seconds, and she’d extracted thirty-five percent of his blood; he passed out.

Scarlet breathed out a hot breath that grazed against his cool skin, feeling the warmth coursing through her normally cold body. Blood bags really can’t compare to the living thing. “Mmmh,” She sighed with relief. He had more of a mashed potatoes taste to him! It’s so good…

She looked down at the limp, unconscious man she was holding up. I want more … so much more, but Rachel promised we wouldn’t kill anyone. He’s a horrible guy … I mean, just one casualty wouldn’t hurt, right?

Her spine stiffened, and she dropped him to the ground, taking a few steps back. No! What am I thinking? Stupid! I’m not The Reaper!

Upon thinking of the Goddess inside her, she could sense the sleeping deity deep within herself, and the soft sound of her long breath rippled through her frame. Honestly, how much do you influence me while asleep? I hate you! Wait, are you the pervert? Maybe you are, and all these stupid urges are all your doing!

“Scarlet?”

She turned her glare on Rachel’s confused eyes. “I hate her … so much!”

“Mmh?” Rachel looked down at the unconscious man. “He’s still alive. Did The Reaper say anything? I assume you’re talking about her.”

“Nevermind,” Scarlet grunted, glancing around at the five unconscious men Rachel had already pummeled while she was savoring her meal. She scanned each of their bodies with a raised eyebrow. “Oof, yeah, they’re going to have months of recovery. Broken bones, torn ligaments, and … you broke his tail in twelve places?”

Rachel shrugged while adding her staple innocent grin. “It was wiggly.”

“Uh-huh,” Scarlet said, remember how she’d given her the same look before, which made Rachel giggle.

“Okay, well, those gunshots will be sending all the cops around us on their way, and here comes the cavalry.”

Scarlet was a little caught off-guard as the door shot open, revealing four armed men; they took one glance down at their unconscious friends before centering their guns on them. “Wait, I thought you meant the cops?”

She teleported to Rachel, shielding them both from the hail of bullets as the men shouted.

“What’s up with men and shouting whenever they’re scared?” Rachel asked with a rueful shake of her head, giving Scarlet a thoughtful expression. “Oh, we can’t let the boss escape. He’s in the basement office right now; there’s probably some kind of escape hatch somewhere in here. So, you wouldn’t mind going and holding him down while I take care of the guys in-between?”

Scarlet pursed her lips. “You just want to hurt them, don’t you?”

“They’re bad men,” Rachel gave her a look. “Wouldn’t anyone want a little justice?”

“Whatever floats your boat,” Scarlet sighed, filtering out the floor to search for the man she was referring to. “You sure you’ll be fine; they’re reloading and fanning out.”

Rachel waved her hand dismissively. “No problem; let me have my fun!”

“Fun, huh?” Scarlet hummed. “I’m starting to think this was all some elaborate plan for you to bust some skulls.”

“Me … no, I’m not a violent girl,” Rachel scoffed. “You know me better than that, right?”

“Right…” Scarlet relented with a smile as she caught sight of Ballesteros. “Be careful,” she muttered while her blood quickly returned to her body, and she teleported behind the man.

Before he could shout, her blood shot out, wrapping around his body like a coil.

“W-What the f…”

“Enough of that,” Scarlet sighed, forcing a clump of blood down his throat to clamp his tongue. He gagged, but she’d lost interest in him as she scanned the surrounding rooms. “Honestly, Rachel, I don’t know how you do it, but you always have a plan to get us in the thick of it. Is it Lunar Pride? Probably … oh, I found the victims.”

She glanced up, catching Rachel laughing while throwing one of the men through a box of tea bags, sending the packets flying everywhere. The sounds of the fight above echoed down the halls of the basement with the gunfire. Guess she’s busy.

Scarlet lifted Ballesteros up with her blood, flipping him sideways; she held her hands behind her back, humming while casually walking down the hall toward the drugged women. There was a man with a rifle inside, but after returning a third of her blood to protect her heart, it didn’t concern her.

She turned the knob on the metal door, but it caught. Locked?

“Hey, don’t even think about it; I got hostages!” The man inside yelled, voice severely muffled. Could a person actually hear him through that?

Scarlet saw him clearly pointing his weapon at the door and not the girls trapped in the crates. Hmm, what to use? Oh, I’ve got some blood stored, don’t I?

Activating Bloody Edge of the Crescent Blade, she cut a V-shape where the knob was; the weaponized blood sliced through the metal door like butter and bit deep into the concrete floor beyond. She pressed a finger against the center and lightly pushed, making the door slowly swing open. “Hello?”

“Hey, what did I say? I mean it!” The brown-haired man appeared to be in his late forties, and the moment he caught sight of her, he lost his nerve, body beginning to quiver. “Y-You … what…”

Scarlet kept her hands behind her back, blinking as she stared at the quivering man, and after a second, she glanced over at their boss, tears streaming down Ballesteros’ fat face as he hyperventilated. “Oh, I forgot; I have a hostage, too … and he might choke. Oof. That might not be so good. Here, just let me remove my blood…”

“Gah...” Ballesteros hacked repeatedly, and Scarlet faced him away as vomit spewed out of his mouth, coating the wall and sending a wave of foul air in her direction.

“Ugh … eww, gross,” Scarlet mumbled, nose twisting as she turned back to the man holding the gun. “So, eh, I have your boss … umm, surrender, or I kill you?”

She was a little surprised when the gun dropped from his shaky grip, and he fell to the floor, hands held high in the air. It soon became apparent that he’d pissed himself.

“P-Please … I have a—a grandma … my dad needs me.”

“Mmh,” Scarlet scratched the back of her neck, flipping back her hair. “Okay … not the way I saw this going. Eh, go … sit against the wall, and I won’t drink your blood.”

He scrambled to obey, baggy pants almost tripping him along the way, and she heard Rachel dragging a sobbing man down some stairs to the hallway, humming some song.

Yeah … why do I feel like we’re the bad guys? She looked up at the cafe, noticing cops swarming the place from all angles, evacuating the citizens. We don’t have long before they clear their way down here.

Rachel tossed the man to her left, sending him flying halfway up the wall, striking it with a hard whimper before dropping to the ground in a crumpled heap. His left and right arm were both broken and fractured in several places, legs like jelly.

“Cleaned up the rest of them,” she said in a bright tone. “You would think that someone willing to fire a gun at you wouldn’t cry out for their parents, but you’d be surprised; one dude even started praying … to me,” she chuckled. “What an idiot.”

“Yeah…”

Scarlet shifted their boss up to face Rachel; he was sucking in air as if the next would be his last, eyes bulging as drool and vomit dribbled down his chin. “A-Anything … w-what do—do you want?”

Rachel stretched her arms high into the air, moaning with pleasure while her ears gave a slight twitch. “Sadly, we don’t have long.” Rachel groaned, cracking her neck before closing the distance with a playful grin. “I heard the little call with your buddy Hipolito.”

“W-What are you t-talking about? I … no, that—I was lying. I never…”

“Ah,” Rachel sucked in her lips while shaking her head. “Tsk-tsk, that was a lie. I get it, though; you needed to taste the merchandise, right?”

“No … I never…”

Rachel walked around him, and Scarlet backed up, leaning against the opposite wall to watch with a slight frown. So, this guy’s a piece of shit that rapes the girls he traffics. I can’t see her letting him go that … oh.

Scarlet’s eyes widened as she watched Rachel deliver a quick, almost playful jab to his lower spine; a sharp crack split the air, and Ballesteros froze, mouth gaping. Her blood returned, dropping him to the ground; he seemed utterly unable to speak.

“You paralyzed him from the waist down,” Scarlet commented with a respectful nod.

“Oof,” Rachel winced with a smile on her full lips. “No more getting it up; what a shame.” She knelt to whisper in his ear as the police moved to clear the basement door from upstairs. “Oh, and by the way, if I hear that you’ve been able to magically cure yourself, I’ll find you again. Good talk.”

“Damn,” Scarlet chuckled, leering down at the mobster. “Got what you deserve, you piece of shit.”

Rachel cleared her throat, giving Scarlet a look while nudging up at the ceiling.

Scarlet folded her hands behind her back. “Can’t talk? Must be some high you’re on,” she giggled, but Rachel only smiled.

“You wouldn’t believe it! So, mind teleporting us up to get some tea while we wait for our ride?”

“Honestly,” Scarlet rolled her eyes while walking over to comply. “You pull me into some interesting things.”

“You love it,” Rachel winked.

Scarlet half-smiled. “Some of it.”